


These Tears That Fall Tonight

by JHyun33



Category: Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, I'm still sobbing because of Hyeob, Kissing, M/M, they bathe together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 04:19:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10891554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JHyun33/pseuds/JHyun33
Summary: It's when the last sound disappears and the cameramen shout "cut" that Jihoon feels his legs shaking as he runs down all these stairs passing everyone, who tries to congratulate him.Jihoon can see how hard Hyeob is trying to hold the tears back, even though the older is good at hiding it.





	These Tears That Fall Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize in advance for spelling/grammar mistakes, English is not my first language.

"Kim Samuel and Park Jihoon.", BoA announces. Jihoon feels his hand being squeezed hard and he slowly lifts himself from his chair in a trance. He feels encouraging hands touching his back and shoulders, patting him. Samuel smiles at him and Jihoon smiles right back, but he wavers a bit. They hear loud cheers from behind, where the other 57 trainees sit.

Jihoon looks at the camera, tries to focus on listening to what the representative says, but her words are blurry. Just when he's asked to say something about possibly being first place, he forms a small smile and starts talking, looks at Samuel for some time to find some assurance. They might be rivals, but they're also friends, they are happy no matter who is first and second.

 

When the screen shows his name and Jihoon can barely hold himself together he looks down to the trainees in front of them. Most of them are cheering for him, some try to contain themselves while the cameras are still rolling. But when Jihoon's eyes catch Hyeob's he feels his hands trembling with the slow realization.

_Hyeob didn't make it._

_Hyeob was so good, but **he didn't make it**._

Now only Jihoon is left from their company, his brain working full speed while he climbs the stairs to the first place.

 

"Please take care of us!", the sixty trainees shout.  It's when the last sound disappears and the cameramen shout "cut" that Jihoon feels his legs shaking as he runs down all these stairs passing everyone, who tries to congratulate him.

He nearly trips and falls down the last four steps, catches himself last minute. Hyeob is hugging another trainee, who cries bitterly. But Hyeob doesn't cry and when he looks at the trainee, Jihoon can see how hard Hyeob is trying to hold the tears back, even though the older is good at hiding it. They let go of each other, other trainees coming to hug the boy and Jihoon just stands there for a few seconds making eye contact with his hyung. Hyeob is smiling weakly, he tries real hard to be happy for him and to not show weakness in front of the younger, but they both know each other too well. So the small boy practically jumps at him and hugs him tight. "I'm so sorry...", Jihoon whispers and _finally_ feels tears escaping his eyes. He has held back in front of the cameras, but he's sure they caught his glassy and wet eyes.

The other doesn't say anything, just keeps holding onto him and lets the younger cry. There are many other trainees crying, from sadness and happiness. Seonho comes over to them with a sad face, strokes Hyeob's back slowly. "It's not fair, hyung...", he mumbles between small sobs. Kuanlin comes up from behind to calm Seonho. Ha Minho walks up to them as well and he looks at Jihoon quickly. Said one lets go of Hyeob a bit, so the older can turn to the trainees surrounding them. "Kwon Hyeob, you are one of the most talented boys here, so I know for sure we'll see each other soon. On stage.", Minho says, his voice trembling only a little bit. Hyeob smiles at them, takes Seonho's hand. "I'll miss you guys.", he mumbles. "Be good, okay? I want you to make it and debut." Seonho cries even harder at these words.

 

Jihoon holds Hyeob's hand as they drive back to their company's dorm. The remaining sixty trainees will return to the Produce 101 dorm in a few days after the concept voting is done and they will get newly assigned rooms. The two trainees don't say anything the whole ride, but don't let go of each other. Jihoon types in their door code and a dark apartment welcomes them back home. "Jongyeon hyung is probably still at training.", he mutters.

They drop their luggage and start to unpack to put everything in the washing machine. An hour later they hear the front door. "Hyeob? Jihoon?", Jongyeon's voice echoes through the apartment. Jihoon smiles and opens the door to their room. "Hey, hyung!", he greets the older. Jongyeon's smile is bright as he rushes to them, sweat shining on his skin and clothes sticking to his body. "How was it? What place are you two?", he asks excited. "Jihoonie is first.", Hyeob says taking the youngest's hand and swinging it. "Wow! I'm so happy and proud of you, baby.", Jongyeon says, hooks an arm around Jihoon's waist and pecks him on the lips. Jihoon giggles. "And you?"

Silence fills the room and it takes the oldest a few seconds to realize. And Hyeob feels the tears fall from his eyes, arms coming to circle around him. "Just let it out.", the oldest whispers. Hyeob finally lets go of his emotions, not trying to hide it anymore, he can be himself around them. Jihoon sighs into Hyeob's neck, happy that Jongyeon is here, because the oldest has always been the best at helping to cope with bad times. "I just- I just- don't understand. Wasn't I good enough to be at least 60th?", Hyeob cries and the arms around him hug him tighter. "No, you're even better than that.", Jongyeon says. He strokes the brown hair and softly kisses the boy's cheek. "It's just a show, don't pull your hair over it. Nobody is disappointed in you.", he mutters. Jihoon suddenly feels really bad. It might just be a show, but they all know that the show is mostly about popularity and it basically meant that Hyeob wasn't popular enough to get in the Top 60. "Are you sure?", Hyeob asks.

Jongyeon pulls away a bit to look him in the eyes. "Yes, I am. The management can punish me all they want for the shit I did in the past, but they have no reason to go for you. You did well, you got a C level, you were the center for your "Sorry Sorry"-performance!", he says. Hyeob sniffles and his eyes are so big and full of fear, it breaks Jihoon's heart.

"Hyung, I'm so sorry!", he blurts out and buries his face in the crook of the other's neck. "For what? You're not responsible for my votes.", Hyeob says bitterly. "If I could, I would change our places!", the youngest whines.

"Oh, you guys...", Jongyeon says with a sigh. "You know what? I make you a hot bath and we order some food, chicken, pizza, you decide and it's my treat." And finally there is a small smile returning to Hyeob's lips. "That actually sounds very nice."

 

So ten minutes later Hyeob sits at the edge of their bathtub and Jihoon removes his shirt for him. He feels like the other two are babying him, but maybe that's what he needs now. Jongyeon gives him a kiss on the forehead. "In you go.", he says.

"But-", Hyeob starts and he looks at the water and back to the other two. "can you come in, too?", he asks shyly. They smile and nod simultaneously. Clothes are shed and Hyeob feels Jongyeon's hands on his shoulders as the older slips into the water behind him. It's cramped and they have to re-organize their legs when Jihoon joins them with a sponge and a bottle of shampoo. Hyeob closes his eyes as hands lay down on his upper body and lips press against his neck gently.

He floats in their loving touches, no words needed. At some point Jongyeon moves to wash Hyeob's and Jihoon's hair massaging the shampoo into it. Jihoon purrs in a delightful manner, leans in more until he's almost completely up in Hyeob's lap with his head laid on his shoulder, so Jongyeon can reach him better. Hyeob grabs the sponge and washes the maknae's back, searches with his unoccupied hand for one of Jihoon's to intertwine their fingers.

A little later Jongyeon lays halfway over their legs and Hyeob threads his fingers through the pitch black hair, washing out the shampoo he just used on him. "I wish our bathtub was bigger.", Jihoon mumbles, when Jongyeon hits his knee against the faucet and winces. "If it was bigger, it wouldn't be that cuddly.", the oldest retorts and Hyeob chuckles at that.

The water starts to get cold and Jihoon is the first to leave, shivering a bit when he dries himself up. "We should get out or else we might catch a cold or something.", Jongyeon says. "Just a little bit...", Hyeob mumbles against him. A smile stretches over the older boy's lips, he pulls him closer and kisses him. "Hey. I'm right here, Jihoon is here.", he whispers. Hyeob nods.

 

They're huddled together on Hyeob's bed, said boy drowning in one of Jongyeon's sweaters and Jihoon littering butterfly kisses over his cheeks. Jongyeon leaves them when he gets the notification for their food arriving. He comes back with three cartons of pizza and a bag of coke cans. "Dinner's here.", he announces happily and flops down on the floor. " _Dinner_ , yeah right.", Jihoon snorts. "Dude, I haven't eaten since 2pm, so technically: this is my dinner.", the oldest says and pulls them down from the bed, so nobody would stain the sheets. Hyeob eagerly grabs his mushroom pizza with extra cheese and hungrily takes a big bite.

Jihoon terminates his pizza hawaii within fifteen minutes despite Jongyeon warning him of stomach aches later. Hyeob laughs when the oldest gives the maknae a shocked expression on his fast eating skills. But suddenly Jihoon is right in front of him smiling with fake innocence. "You have some tomato sauce there.", he says. Hyeob lifts a hand to rub it away, but the youngest is faster. He freezes when Jihoon licks up the sauce from the corner of his lips moving right onto his lips after. Their mouths fit together, Jihoon's tongue sneaking in his mouth and Hyeob gets a faint taste of pineapple. Jihoon leans in more with his hands on his thighs and kisses him harder. He doesn't know why, but the older starts chuckling until he has to break the kiss and laughs.

Jihoon looks to Jongyeon, who is still eating his pizza unfazed. "Wow, hyung, you're not jealous as always?", he asks amused. The other shrugs. "I keep myself up knowing that I'll have him all to myself until you get back to our dorm again.", he says and now Jihoon has his jealous face on. "Unfair.", he mumbles. Hyeob laughs at it and he can't stop. It feels so good to finally laugh whole-heartedly with genuine happiness.

 

Hyeob's bed is too small for the three of them to fit on it, but they manage to do it somehow in a tangled mess of arms and legs. Jihoon has himself draped over the other two in his need for affection. Jongyeon gives him an occasional kiss on the nose and lips, one hand in the maknae's brown hair and the other arm beneath Hyeob to give his neck some support. Jihoon is a bit heavy, but Hyeob loves it, so he says nothing.

He loves everything about this. How their dynamics work and how these two boys can make the worst situations so much more bearable.

Hyeob realizes it's okay to lose a competition sometimes, even if it's as big and important as Produce 101. But he knows that Jongyeon and Jihoon are there to catch him and give him unconditional love that he sometimes feels like he doesn't deserve it. "Hey.", Jongyeon's voice appears next to his ear. "What are you thinking?", he asks gently.

Hyeob smiles. "Just...how happy I am to have you both." And Jongyeon smiles right back with the force of a thousand suns. "I'm happy, too.", he whispers and they lean in for a kiss carefully, because Jihoon is dead asleep on top of them. When their lips touch and Hyeob feels the weight of the youngest on him, he feels safe. He had never imagined to find himself loving two people at the same time with the same amount of love for each of them. But here he is, Jihoon snoring into his chest and Jongyeon cradling him in his arms. And Hyeob realizes that life goes on one way or another. He might not have a place in the Top 60, but he has two people, who love him just as much as he loves them.

**Author's Note:**

> I really fought with myself to publish this as I started writing it right when episode 5 came out...and now I found out that Hyeob's contract with Maroo Ent. ended and he won't debut with Jongyeon and Jihoon IT BREAKS MY HEART OK  
> I'm genuinely sad about this, so I couldn't finish writing it first...but then willed myself to finish it  
> THIS BOY POURED HIS HEART IN THIS AND NOW WE WON'T KNOW WHEN HE WILL EVER DEBUT!!
> 
> I love the Holy Maroo Trinity, I was so happy looking forward to their debut...but now...I'll still support Jihoon and Jongyeon, when they debut (it's speculated/rumoured to be in 2018) and if Hyeob finds his way, I'll support him as well ♥


End file.
